Arlington Heights Bathroom Remodel with Tub to Curbless Shower Conversion
Delta Remodels completed this bathroom remodeling project in Arlington Heights, Illinois, as a design-build job: design, material selections, permits, construction and the final walkthrough handled by one team on one contract. This Arlington Heights bathroom remodel replaced a large built-in tub with a curbless walk-in shower, tiled bench, ceiling-mounted rain head, thermostatic controls and a linear drain set flush with the floor. The room was updated around the existing arched window and vaulted ceiling.
Opening the wet area without stripping away the room's character
The concept of this bathroom was to completely update its main elements and make the room feel more spacious. The existing bathroom already had generous square footage, but the built-in tub and raised platform occupied too much of the wet area.
The remodel changed how that space worked: the tub came out, the shower became the main bathing zone, storage was reorganized, and the older vanity, mirrors, tile and flooring were replaced.
Arlington Heights, IL
Full bathroom remodel
Arched window and vaulted ceiling
Bathroom remodeling
Same square footage. A much more usable bathroom
The original built-in tub dominated the wet area. After remodeling, that footprint became a wide curbless shower with a bench, rain head, thermostatic controls and linear drain. Before Built-in tub, raised platform, older tile, patterned flooring and light cabinetry. After Curbless walk-in shower with bench, rain head, thermostatic controls and updated finishes. Completed view · custom vanity, LED medicine cabinets and retained architectural details
Detail and finish photography
The details that make a curbless shower work
The visible change is the open shower. The important work is underneath it: floor height, drainage, waterproofing and tile layout all have to be resolved before finish material is ordered.
- 01
Recessing the Shower Floor
The shower floor has to sit lower than the main bathroom floor. In a framed floor, that can mean recessing the subfloor between the joists; another option is building the surrounding bathroom floor up to meet the shower. That decision has to be made before tile thickness and finished floor elevations are locked in. 02
- 02
Waterproofing Past the Opening
With no curb acting as a physical stop, the waterproofing membrane needs to continue beyond the shower opening into the transition area. The slope, membrane and drain connection all have to work together so water moves toward the drain instead of toward the rest of the bathroom. 03
- 03
Linear Drain + Tile Planning
The linear drain lets the shower floor pitch in one direction on a single plane. That matters when using larger-format tile because the tile can run across the floor without being cut into four pie-shaped sections around a center drain. Drain location and tile size should be decided together, before material is ordered. 04
- 04
Bench, Rain Head & Thermostatic Controls
The tiled bench is framed into the shower rather than added later. Above it, the ceiling-mounted rain head keeps the wall cleaner, while the thermostatic valve holds the selected water temperature more consistently. 05
- 05
Vanity, LED Medicine Cabinets & What Stayed
The opposite wall was rebuilt with custom dark brown cabinetry and LED medicine cabinets for concealed storage and face-level lighting. The arched window and vaulted ceiling stayed; the new finishes were laid out around them rather than removing features that already worked.
Bathroom remodeling in Arlington Heights with the full room considered
Delta Remodels is a design-build remodeling firm serving North Shore Illinois and nearby communities. The team has completed 500+ projects across bathrooms, kitchens, basements and larger interior remodeling work.
For a project like this, the shower, plumbing, vanity, storage, tile, flooring and finish selections are treated as one connected remodel.
500+
Completed projects
Since 1987
Family-owned remodeling company
3-Year
Workmanship warranty
Licensed
And insured
Curbless shower FAQ
- 500+
- Completed projects
- Since 1987
- Family-owned remodeling company
- 3-Year
- Workmanship warranty
- Licensed
- And insured
Questions Homeowners Ask Before Removing a Tub
These are the questions that matter when the project is specifically a tub-to-curbless-shower conversion.
Will removing the bathtub hurt resale value?
It can matter if this is the only bathtub in the house. Buyers with young children often still want one tub somewhere in the home. If another full bathroom already has a tub, converting the primary bathroom to a larger walk-in shower can be a practical layout choice.
Do curbless showers leak into the rest of the bathroom?
They should not when the floor is recessed correctly, the slope is built toward the drain, and the waterproofing membrane extends past the shower opening. Problems usually come from insufficient pitch, poor drain integration or waterproofing that stops too early.
Can any bathroom be converted to a curbless shower?
Many can, but the floor structure determines how the detail is built. Joist direction and depth affect whether the shower area can be recessed. On a concrete slab, the shower pan may need to be cut into the slab. That is something to verify on site before finalizing the layout.
Is a curbless shower the same as an ADA-compliant shower?
No. A flush entry is only one part of accessible design. ADA compliance depends on measured clearances, turning space, grab-bar locations, seat height and control placement. A curbless shower can improve ease of use without automatically meeting every ADA requirement. Plan your remodel
Planning a Bathroom Remodel in Arlington Heights?
If a large tub is taking up space you would rather use for a walk-in or curbless shower, Delta Remodels can review the room and plan the shower, vanity, storage, flooring and fixtures as one layout.
This is one of our completed Arlington Heights projects. For scope, current investment ranges and the local permit process, see bathroom remodeling in Arlington Heights.
Client Reviews
What homeowners say
Straight from our Google Business Profile, not written for this page.
I hired Delta to remodel my Kitchen and Dining room after evaluating several companies in this space including big names. From the start I found Kasia very transparent on pricing and services while also being realistic about what was possible within my budget. The crew was very professional, communicative about scheduling, provided options when challenges arose and ultimately were concerned about my happiness with the outcome. While it’s tough to go through a full Kitchen remodel I’m extremely happy with the the results. I took a very outdated look and layout and with the help of Delta made it a space I love to cook and entertain in. I was so happy with the results I hired Delta again to remodel 3 of my bathrooms.
We worked with Kasia initially on our master bathroom. By the time they had put tile in, I’d already decided I wanted to hire her for our second bathroom Reno, and any of our demo projects moving forward (kitchen was next)! Kasia is very straight to the point, and she is upfront about pricing from the get go. Any add ons we wanted she was able to give a reasonable quote right away, and any hiccups we ran into she was always transparent with. Chris, and the rest of her team, are very respectful when working in your home. They took measures to protect the flooring, along with cleaning up at the end of each day to help keep your home as put together as possible. Kasia has a great taste for design, and will give her honest opinion on picking out materials without being pushy. We received 4-5 different quotes on our project, and I absolutely think their pricing structure is reasonable for the area. Additionally, we had completed multiple major renovations with our house prior, between 2-3 other companies. Hands down, Kasia and her team provided the highest quality work, and attention to detail. I’m very happy with the way our projects turned out, and would 100% recommend!!
They did a beautiful job on our bathroom remodel! It looks exactly like we envisioned and they were very collaborative and communicative throughout the whole process
We purchased a new home and a neighbor who happens to be a trusted friend, insisted we use Kasia of Delta Remodeling. Our friend reported that her kitchen remodel project went smoothly without any issues, so we followed this advice and hired Kasia of Delta Remodeling, on the spot! What began as a kitchen and bathroom remodel, soon became a whole house project. Kasia had her work crew from every trade, busy from day one. We soon hired a designer to coordinate the many decisions along the way. We can’t emphasize enough, the fine results through fine workmanship, that has resulted in our home being a beautiful and comfortable place to live. Kasia and her team listened to us, making flexible changes along the way, and making our dream house come true! Very trustworthy and honest, a pleasure to work with from start to finish. We’re so glad we listened to the strong friend referral. We highly recommend Delta Remolding to bring you the beautiful finished product that you wish.
10 Stars! Total Spa-Bath Transformation & Mid-Project Heroes! Kasia and her team at Delta (Lake Forest) are the best. They just finished remodeling our master and guest bathrooms, and the experience was flawless from start to finish. Here is why they stand out: Excellent Communication: Kasia is incredibly organized. She asks great questions upfront to prevent issues and offered brilliant suggestions for both the design and functional utility of our spaces. Stunning Master Bath Transformation: They tackled a full layout change and a complete plumbing upgrade to drastically increase our water pressure. They built us a gorgeous, spa-like shower complete with a rain head and a handheld sprayer. Reliable & Clean Crew: Chester and his son Peter were punctual, respectful, and highly efficient at keeping the project on schedule. Best of all, they cleaned up thoroughly at the end of every single day—we never had to live in a messy construction site. Above & Beyond Service: We had a random kitchen pipe burst mid-remodel. Since the crew is highly skilled in plumbing, they fixed the emergency on the spot for a very fair and reasonable price. We loved our new master bath so much we immediately decided to do our guest bath too, and both turned out amazing. We can't wait to use Delta again for our basement project in two years!
Delta Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling did a beautiful job on our bathroom remodel in Lake Bluff. The marble-look tile, mosaic shower floor, frameless glass, black freestanding tub, double vanity, lighting, and fixtures all came together with a clean modern finish. The space feels polished, functional, and easy to use every day. I would recommend Delta Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling to anyone in Lake Bluff or the North Shore looking for a reliable bathroom remodeling contractor or kitchen remodeling company.
I recently hired Delta Remodeling for a complete primary bathroom remodel and I couldn't be happier with the result and the Service! From the initial consultation to the final walkthrough, the team was professional, punctual, flexible and reliable. Kasia and her team did a fantastic job and were a great support navigating through a very messy tile delivery from floor & decor. If you're looking for a contractor who is honest and does high-quality work, look no further!
We recently finished having our master bathroom gutted and fully remodeled by Delta, and it turned out beautifully! I was very impressed with Kasia and her team from the very moment we got in touch with them. We got multiple bids for the project, and their pricing was extremely competitive. Kasia was very responsive throughout the entire process as well - answering questions over e-mail, text, or phone calls. Although the remodel did take longer than predicted, it was delayed due to reasons outside of anyone's control... and Kasia always kept us well informed about what was happening so we never felt like we were in the dark. My wife has pretty bad allergies that get particularly agitated by dust, and the Delta team took extra care to protect our house from any construction dust. They put up two layers of zipper-opened floor to ceiling plastic sheets to isolate the bathroom, cleaned up after themselves every single day, and - as a result - my wife's allergies never flared up once over the entire project. I was also really happy with how flexible they were. As the remodel was progressing, my wife and I sometimes wanted to make small changes that Kasia and her team were happy to accommodate. Many of these changes were done without any extra charges, and those changes that did incur an extra cost (like installing new electrical outlets) were priced fairly. In the end, my wife and I are thrilled with how our new bathroom turned out. We plan to use Delta for our future remodeling projects and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone.
Another amazing project complete! We are beyond pleased with Delta! They are professional, thorough, and passionate.
Friendly, efficient, adaptable; delivered as promised. Would recommend.
I am very satisfied with the work that Delta did for my primary bathroom renovation. The contractors were very efficient and I was impressed with the care they took to protect my home while they worked, such as placing tarps over surfaces that they would be working around. Communication with them was great, I was able to get questions answered fast over text message or phone call. My project was completed in a timely manner and I have been enjoying the work they did very much! I would definitely be open to working with them again for additional for projects.
Delta remodeled our master bathroom. The project was complex and involved moving the toilet, shower, removing a soaking tub, and replacing all the surfaces and cabinets. Delta did a fantastic job in an unusual room with lots of custom work. The project was completed a year ago and still looks great. Even better, Delta stands by their work. Several months after our bathroom project was completed, we had leaking in another area of our home which we thought could be connected to the bathroom work. The plumbing issue ended up being unrelated. However, when the leaking started, we called Delta for help. Two Delta folks were at our house within the hour to figure out what the problem was and help us get it solved. I was very impressed that they were so concerned in making sure their work was lasting and that we were happy with the new bathroom. We ended up hiring them to fix the additional plumbing issue because we knew they would do a good job.